Conductor-releasing clamp



Jan. 20, 1931; N. DEISCH 1,789,672

CONDUCTOR RELEASING CLAMP I Filed Nov. 11. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheen 1 Jan.20, 1 931. N. DEISCH 1,739,672

CONDUCTOR RELEASING CLAIIP Filed Nov. 11. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l instock by the manufacturer: or user.

U- shaped informso as to straddle the reings I have shown inylclamp ascomprising" upper andlower clamping members 10 and 11 which maybe and,referably are counterparts so, as to reduce t e cost of manufacture Iand the quantity of parts needed to be kept Each of these members isshown .as anielongated body with a transversely curvedgcondu'ctorreceivin seat 12 therein for the rece tion' of the conrf ctor 13;Preferably the en sof the seats are flaredoutwardly-as shown so as toprevent the bringing of any abrupt bending strains upon theconductor'i'ntheevent of vibration of the line as. will inevitably 1oc-; cur inia'ctual practice." Each member 10 and 11 isformed. with ayoke 14 straddling the other, and as the members 10 and ll arecounterparts and reversedthe yoke on. the

lower one has its open end directed upwardly whereas the (yoke on theupper one has its open enddirecte downwardly, These yokesare spectiveclamping members and they are on gaged betweenoutstanding lugs .15; onthe respective clamping members for preventing 2 relativelongitudinalmovementthereof. Extending through the closed bight portionof each yoke is a fulcrum pin 16 upon which is I inner ends ofthe levers20willrurge these;

levers 20' having cam faces 21 thereon and, formed with oppositelyextending trunnions) 22 pivotalify engaged within notches 23 in theinner aces of the arms of the yokes;

. The cam faces 21 of the levers are adapted to bear upon the adjacentsurfaces of the.

clamping members'10 and 11 within-the eonfines oftheyokes 14, and thefree'ends of the levers extend toward the transverse center of theclamp, these free orinnerends being engaged beneath or against the innerfaces of the springs 17 and having lateral projections. 24 for a purposeto be described. 1 Clearly the compression of the springs 17 upon the,

v inner ends toward the conductorso thatthe cam faces .21will bearupon-the top andbottom-of the clamping members 1.0 and {11 respectivelyand urge them into clamping. relation to tlie conductor so that anefficient gripping action will be assured. V

The suspension means for this clamp assembly is here represented ascomprising a 1 pair of links 25apertur'ed at their other ends as shownat 26 for passage of a suitable securinielement byv means of which theentire s m chain of suspension insulators. As the lower ends of thelinks will notinterfere with the lower spring 17 they are representedasconnected by a transversepin 27 though this is an immaterial detail asit is conceivable that the links might be cut off above the lower spring17' if'preferred; The means for releasing the clamping action is shownas comprising a double ended cam or pair of cams 28 suitably securedtotlie inner faces of the'links' 25 asby'rivetsor other securingelements 29,1theseffcains being further provided with trunnionsBOprojecting into an open ng defined by mating semicyi'indricalrecesses3l'in1the clamping members. At-

tentionis directed to the fact tliat'tliis trunnion arrangement or]pivotal mounting is such that the axis of the links will extend throughthe center. of the conductor, thereby permitting the clamp toaccommodate it self to line vibrations without producing any noticeablebending ,or abrading action on the gonductor atthe ends of the clampingmeni- ,To lassemble the clamp, the two jaws or clamping members IO-andllare brought to- 'getlier over the conductoiyafter whichthe levers 20 areinsertedbyengaging the trunnions 22 thereof within the lower ends of thebearing recesses or notches 23, the levers being at this time heldsubstantially vertically at. the entrances tothe notchesto'r recesses.course thesprings17 are initially assembled upon the-pins 16 uponwhichthey are held by the'upseti ends thereof. The. springs are then sopositioned as to bring them over the levers 20, that is to ,[say oneabove the upper lever20 and the other below the lower member20. Anysuitable assembling clamp, not shown, may then be utilized for drawingthe springs down; ortoward theconductor so that the loops 18' may beengaged over their free 1:}:

Err-3 of the springs, 17 upon the camle'vers 20 will 7 maintain these'cam leversin such position that. thezcamsurfaces 21 thereof bearing Uagainst the adjacent outer surfaces of the clampingmembers willholdthese clamping members infirm engagement upon the con-- ductonw Thisis the relation of the parts undernormal; circumstances and even whenthere is'acertain angular position of the links with respect'to theclamp as might be brought about by swaying of the conductor under the-.infiuence of the wind or various other circumstances unnecessarytoenumerate. If, how- "-9 ever, there should be a breakageoftheconductor or if thereis any other condition, such upon-the conductor ateither side of the 1 clamp, it will be apparent that the suspension 1ymay be. suspendedfroma string or links 25 will swing upon thetrunnions30 into apofsition of considerableangularity as clearv is"clear that equalization iwill be assured; '15.

{th camssrwillerigaglea a i i extended inner endsQ lfof tghe. amleve-rsiofthe springs 17-. v v v movelapart. the distance "between the'bearingforce them outwardly i g i S i lh r i n "A these camk le fir thus facesor cam surfaces 21there0fand the 'c'ene terline :of the conduct or,Willvbe' increased, therebyjpermitting the clamping members'lO and '11to? move vapart and release their. grip) 1 through until the strainsuponit have become;

uniformly distributed; This condition may" upon the conductor which maythen slip take place at several suspension-points and it Just as soon asthe excessive strain has been .f-relieved and the suspension linksresume a position approximating'the normal the cams, 28 Will disengagethe inner ends of thecam levers so that the springs '17. will againexert their power and move the cam levers intotheir clamp engagingpositions, thereby reefiecting the desired clamping action upon theconductor. It will consequently be seen that the-action ofreleasingandregripping is en' tirely automatic and governedbyconditions, It is believed that the construction, operation; andadvantages .shouldbe readily apparent from the foregoing Without furtherexplanation. Y. '7 i .VVhile I have shown and described the' re ferredembodiment of the invention, it'should be understood that thedisclosure'is merely anexemplification of the principles involved as.

the right is reserved to make all such changes f; .i n the details ofconstruct-ion as fvvill widen" the field of utility and increase theadaptabil ity of the device provided such changes con-s I stitutenodeparture from the spirit of the in-' 1 members, cam means carriedjbytheclam ii;

7 ap ended.

vention or the scope of the, claims hereunto. aving thus described theinvention, claim: 1. In a conductor supporting. clamp, the combinationof upper andlower clamping' 'members disposable 'againsta conductor,suscpensionjfineans for the assembled clamping members, cam meanscarried by the clamping members, spring means urgingJsaidcam: means'intoposition for maintaining the clamping members in clamping relation uponthe conductor. I

25111 a conductor supporting clainp, the combination ofupper and:lowerQflamping members disposable against a c'onductor,sus-' I'members, spring means urging saidficamf' "clamping members in clampingrelation upon .movi ng said ca 7 I tion n "opposrtlon to saidsprlngmeans memberm cammeans carrier "by theclami n members, spring. means; i

1 cam me ans; forirendering the ere inefiec .pens'ion nneans e'beyondiaipredeter mined extent, I

ofsthesuspension:m ans with raspect to -the eXtili andllower "clampingmembers, cam means i embers disposab" conductor us pension meansj-f rthe'assembled clamping member cam-' means;ca rriedlbytheclampingmeansinto position for n aintainingqfthefil1Gi3011Cli1ClJQI', ia'llClmeans operable-.up'onrela t lVQ S WlIlgIH'g movement of the; USPBDSMHmeans beyond In j ak-con' uctorsupporting clamp, combination of; upper:ilovver' i clamping membersidisposablei 'gainst: a.-c'onductor' I ension1n1eans"; for thef'assem'ble 111 9; said means {into position? for-L"maintaining- 161 clal'nping members in clamping relation upon v theconclueton and camimeans} on the 'siisp en 7 I sionmeans :eng'ageable;avith said' first 'ed uponirel'ativefswinging nmovement of the u 5; Inaonductlorsupporting. clamp,lnpper 1 -i Q and loiwef *cl'em'pinginembers, cam;"ineans i a g e carried byn eachf cl ampingImember -and en19f gageab'le withfthegotherfor urgin'gtheicl an p} p Iingfm'emherstoward ea'ch other, spring= 1neans engagingisaid oam meansfor renderin sam normallylefleotivle, suspension meansfortheiclampi.assemblymovable Wi l "the r suspensionmeans thereto,:anclune'ans: ror -releasmg said cam means upon joveinent as ly 1 bey np det in '6. rig-clamp "15 3s 1 ing inembers toward-each oth'er, spring'mea is enga 'ngfsaid cam nieans'tor' rende v 'ormall'ycifect'ive,suspension meansfor:y j the clamp assembly mov'ablei with I Vi thereto, 1 and means on the-suspenslon' means forgreleasmsmdcammeansupo offthesuspensio' eve ent "W. h i

pension. means fortheassembled clamping ing members, spring meansurgingsaid camg means into, 13081131011; forn1a1nta1n1ng the;

clamping members in'clamping relation upon? the conductor,andmeansioperable uponir'el *tive swinging movement. of the's'uspe'n'sio means beyond a predetermined'extent for neu tralizing saidspring means. 7

combination. of upper and lower, clamping pen ion 1e suspensionineansiforw 1nea11s'; upofn movementfofthe jsuspen'sion 3. In a conductorsupport ng clamp',.the Y eyonda predeter m ned 'e ent, 'said therespect: hereto,l and; ion the} j releasing: said means wit-lrres'peo tothe lclamp assembly; e 1] sion.. means being pivotallyaconnected with Qthe clamping members and having its aitis intersecting thelongitudi-nala xis ofthe'conductor.

V clamping lever for maintalnlng the clamping levers, in eifectiveposition for forcing the clamping members toward each other, suspension;means pivotally suspending the assembled clamping members, andmeansoperabel upon movement of the suspension means beyond apredetermmed extent for moving said cam levers into ineffectiveposr- Vtion; J

- A conductor supporting clamp comprising a pair ofclamping membersdisposablevagainst the conductor, cam levers pivengageable thereby.

oted on each clamping member and engaging the other, spring meanscarried by each clamping member and engaging the adjacent connected withthe assembled clamping members, andcam means on the suspension meansengageablejwith the'projecting portions of theinner endsof said camlevers for f'moving the vsame outwardly into ineffective POSltlOn uponrelative swmgmg movement of the, suspension means beyond a predeterminedangulariposition. Y

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. is

1 NOEL Jam son.

clamping lever for maintainingthe clamping levers in efi'ective positionfor forcing,

the clamping members toward each other,

- suspension means pivotally suspending the assembled clamping members,and meansv operable upon movement of thevsuspension means beyond. apredetermined extent for moving said came levers into ineffective'position, said means comprising cams on the suspension means andprojections on the cam levers in the P f movementthereof and 10. A clampof the it comprising a pair of clamping members engageable against aconductor and each formed with a yoke straddling the other, a cam leverpivoted within each yoke and engaging the adjacent clamping member,aleaf s ring car;

ried byeachclamping member and aving its,

ntermediate portion engaging the adjacent cam lever, suspenslon meansfor the assems character described bled clamping members, and meanscarried a y by the suspension. means engageable with said cam leversformoving vthesame into ineffective positlon aga nstthe reslstance of saidsprings.

,7 11. A conductor supporting clamp com- I V prising upperand lowerclamping members disposable against a conductor, each clampingmemberbeing 'provided vvith a yoke straddlin the other; cam 1 leverspivoted I within said yokes and having cam surfaces normally engagingthe adjacent 'clamping members, a leaf spring carried at one endby eachyoke, means for anchoring the other a ends of said springs to theadjacent clamping members, the inner ends of said camle' I vers beingengaged inwardly of said springs and having portions projectinglaterally therebeyond, .sus'pensionmeans pivotally

